The rising sun
by CluelessAngel
Summary: Another War has broken out in China. Shang took his troops to stop the Huns. A message came back, Shang and his troops have been taken hostage. The only thing to save the troops and Shang is Mulan's head. Will Mulan save them in time or will her daughter?
1. Chapter 1

**The person that wrote a story sum what like this about 2 years ago, and I wanted to know what was going to happen, but I didn't want to wait, so I am writing it myself... in myversion (please note: there are some things that are in the originol, but i made it more of me:-p) hope you like it... and dont hate me!**

"Discipline, and strength, gotcha Baba," a little girl said standing at the bottom of a pole stuck vertically in the ground. She wore clothes that Chinese Soldiers in training wear and had her hair tied up into a medium sized bun on the top of her head. She held two straps tied to two large medals. Her father stood alongside her standing with his shoulders straight and his head held high.

"You need both to reach the arrow," he told her with the strict tone of Chinese General.

"I know Baba, I've tried this a hundred times, and I still can't lift these things they are too heavy!" Lian said and grunted as she tried to lift the heavy Medals.

"You're not supposed to have to carry them as a burden. When you use discipline and strength together it works together like teamwork, and it is much easier to carry them. Trust me!" Mulan said and walked over beside the Shang.

"Your mother learned that the hard way," Shang joked.

"After your father tried to convince me to quit," Mulan quipped.

"I was just a captain then, dear you cant hold anything against me. I was stupid then!"

"You still are, baba!" the girl said as she dragged the medals toward the pole sticking out laughing at her father.

"And your mother still married me. The most famous woman in all of China, and she accepts my marriage proposal" Shang said and smiled to Mulan. Mulan knelt down and rubbed her hand in her daughter's hair.

"When Lian grows up, she will become the most famous woman China has ever seen!"

"But first she has to reach…"

(**Years Later)**

"The arrow! I got it _again_ Baba!" Lian said from the top of a pole stuck vertically in the ground. She had two straps connected to two rounded medals slung over her shoulder. Her father stood on the ground below her, looking up at his daughter.

"Alright you can come down Lian, that's enough training for today," Shang told her as she climbed down the pole.

"I've gone up and down that pole so many times it's getting worn," she commented as she walked toward her father.

"Yes, you've become a very good soldier. If you weren't my daughter I'd be proud to have you in my army," he said as they walked toward the house, the sun beginning to set behind them.

" Yeah, Yeah, Yeah! If I were any _other_ daughter I would be in your army, but that's not fair!" she grumbled.

"Your mother and I have discussed this with you, Lian. You are our daughter, not our son, you _will_ not run away, and you will not dress like a soldier. You will stay here and honor us by getting married. That is an order!"

"But I'm dressed as one now Baba! All the men of both country and court see me as their equal! And you can't order me to get married and have children and never do what I want!"

"As do the women. You meet with the Matchmaker in a matter of days, do well my daughter. And I know you don't want to be married off and do what you are expected to do, but please do this for me?"

"Baba won't you be here?"

"Sadly, no. I've gotten report of disturbances along the Hun boarders, I have leave in the morning."

"But Baba, can't they send the other troops?" Shang looked down and lowered his voice

"They have, three days ago."

"And?" He closed his eyes in pain and said

"Yesterday," he started, "the head of every man in those troops was delivered to the Imperial Palace," he answered and bowed his head. Lian gasped.

"Their… heads?" Lian asked and placed her hand to her throat.

"A soldier's life is not a life of joy, Lian. It is a horrible life to lead."

"Then why do so many men become soldiers Baba?"

"Some men have no where else to go, some try to regain honor, others just had/have much loyalty to China."

"I am loyal to China! I am as loyal as any man!"

"But not as loyal as any daughter, no girl but you would talk to her father in such a tone as you," he said. She walked out in front of him and made him stop walking.

"I was raised a soldier, Baba. Not a daughter, nor a wife. I would much rather die in battle then to bear any child." Lian said furiously.

"I'm sure your husband will be very disappointed," he said and stepped past her and entered the house.

Lian didn't want her farther to leave here. She knew something could happen and she couldn't help.

Lian lay in her bed awake. The sun was just rising and the orange light came through her window and made a shape on the wall at her feet. Her raven black hair fell behind her face. She gripped her pillow tightly as she heard her mother bidding her father farewell. Shang hugged her, kissed her on the check, and promised his quick return. then the sound of his horse trotting out of the yard. She ran to the door to at least wave goodbye. She couldn't do this she yelled, "BABA!"

Shang heard her and stopped his horse and turned around. He watched Lian running towards him, he quickly got off and she ran into his arms. "I love you baba!"

"I love you too Lian." He gave her the pendant he wore around his neck and asked her to hold it for him until they met again. And then he got on his horse and road off. Lian went back in her room and cried herself to sleep.

Fa Li walked into the room and shook her granddaughter awake. Lian moaned slightly not realizing she had fallen back asleep.

"Lian, wake up, you have chores to do," her grandmother told her. Lian sat up and yawned. She matted her hair down hoping she wouldn't look too ridiculous.

"Grandma? What time is it?"

"Seven, and the chickens are getting hungry."

"Then the chickens and I have something in common, hmm," Lian said and rubbed her stomach. Her grandmother sat next to her on the bed.

"Your mother tells me you almost didn't see your father off this morning," she said worriedly.

"I wasn't going to, but I couldn't I love him to much. I wish he didn't have to go."

"Your father has a very powerful job, he has incredible responsibility. He is an honorable man, you should do much to learn this."

"I know he is a good man, a good general, but as a father he leaves things to be desired."

"When your mother was young, very young, your grandfather was a soldier. She said much of the same things about grandpa that you say of your father."

"Yes, but then Grandpa got hurt, and could no longer be a soldier. I don't want to wait for Baba to get hurt before I can have a father."

The rest of the day went normally with less training and more studying, and the nagging feeling that something was missing from the family's life. Lian sat in her bed as the sunset reading by candlelight. She read the words aloud trying to remember them.

"Perform your duties quietly and carefully. Reflect before you act," she said to herself. She huffed angrily and lay back onto her bed. She set the papers on the table beside her bed.

"I can impress the Matchmaker, that's no problem. Whoever I marry will think I'm perfect. Oh but I don't know how I'll be able to live my life as just a housewife. Serve tea, give birth, and raise children, blah, blah, Blah! I will never have any fun. What a _great_ future," she said and blew out the candle. Mulan stood outside her door, listening to her daughter's grief. Mulan sighed and walked away.

The sun had set so the stone sidewalk was cold beneath Mulan's bare feet. She kept a quick pace until she reached the altar where the ancestor slabs were kept. She lit the incense over her family's slabs and knelt.

"Oh great ancestors, you have helped my family and myself much in the past, but please ancestors, help my daughter find joy in her life. She is young but smart beyond her years, and very talented, she is my pride. Please great ancestors of the Fa family, help my daughter find her true happiness," Mulan prayed.


	2. Chapter 2

**(The next Day… The matchmaker's test)**

"Lian! Lian! Wake up you'll be late!" Fa Li said rushing into her granddaughter's room frantically. The morning sun had risen and the room was a bright yellow.

"Don't worry Grandma, I'm ready," Lian said as she walked over to her grandmother wearing a light purple and blue dress which covered her feet and hands. Her hair was tied up with a flower pin holding it in place; a lock of hair fell over her forehead. Her face was painted white with blue over the eyes and dark red lips. Fa Li smiled at the sight and smell of her beautiful granddaughter.

"Your mother was unbelievably late for her preparation for the Matchmaker, I am glad to see you are on time."

"I was raised the daughter of a general Grandma, time is very important. I have an order and I must make sure it is for filled," she said in the same serious tone as Shang. Her grandmother smiled, but was concerned.

"Good luck my child. But do remember that you can still have some fun," Fa Li said as they started walking out of the room and down the hall.

"Oh fun," Lian said sarcastically. They walked out of the house and joined with Mulan. They walked out through a crowd of people come to see the porcelain dolls march to what Lian considered the end of their future.

"Bring honor to us Lian," her grandmother told her and Lian walked quickly to the other dolls.

"Be nice," was her mother's advice. Lian smiled and joined in at the end of the line. The two dolls in the lead went to the left; the next two went to the right, leaving Lian to take the center. They all unfolded their umbrellas and bowed low to the ground, hiding them from the Matchmaker's house. The Matchmaker stepped gracefully from behind the doors. She was very elegant and beautiful. Lian stared at her in awe from behind her umbrella.

"Li Lian," the Matchmaker said in a melodic voice. Lian rose as gracefully as she could and folded her umbrella. The Matchmaker turned to go inside of the door.

"Follow me," she said. Lian walked into the house as gracefully as she could but she could sense she still had a soldiers step. She could hear some people outside chuckling as the doors closed behind her. The room was laced with fine clothes, plants, carved wood, and the scent of tea with mint.

"You have a man's step," the Matchmaker said walking around Lian after closing the doors.

"I am sorry," Lian said to the Matchmaker's surprise.

"Don't be, when my brother and I were young, I would mimic his soldier training, I walked like a man for years," she said and laughed slightly at the memory, putting Lian more at ease.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to have you recite anything, I just say I do, just to scare you," the Matchmaker said sitting behind a table and beckoning Lian to join her. Lian sat across the table from her, her feet folded under her.

"Then how do you make matches?" Lian questioned beginning to pour the tea for both of them by habit.

"I judge a girl by her manor and personality, not by her memory. Young men tend to enjoy a person rather then a puppet."

"Oh," was all Lian could think to say.

"So you are the daughter of General Li?"

"Yes madam"

"We are just going to chat, I am going to find out what you are like, what kind of man you would like ect."

"I have forgotten who your mother is. I saw her standing in the crowd, a very elegant woman."

"She could still whip me clean in a fight though, she is Li Mulan," Lian said relaxing her back. She realized she was slouching and straightened her back immediately. Lian laughed some more.

"So you have been trained as a soldier. You'd be surprised how many families wouldn't mind having a girl with military training marry their son."

"A wife and bodyguard in one."

"Indeed. Though I doubt how much the men like it."

"I can imagine it'd be quite humorous, a tall man being protected by his porcelain doll wife," Lian said and took a sip of her tea.

"I never liked that term, to mean all the girls are not at all doll-like. They tend to be either nervous or incredibly annoying. Don't let the princess fool you, she came to me last year, she's a snake of a woman. Tried to bribe me to let her marry a handsome man instead of a rich one."

"What did you do?"

"I made her marry the richest and oldest man I could find."

"I can't believe you did that!"

"I did. Her father was quite glad for the match too, her brother is now your age I think. I don't know"

"You know for the life of me I can't remember his name…"

"Who, the prince? De Shing, he's joined the army you know."

"I'm sure my father will be glad to know that he can boss around the future emperor when he returns."

"Where has the General gone?"

"I'm afraid I can't say."

"You certainly are loyal."

"I'm sure that will help find me a husband."

"Finding a suitable husband for you shall not be hard, you are the most astounding woman I have ever met."

"You say that because of my parents!" Lian said rising as Chen did.

"You speak your thoughts as well. Tell me, Lian, do you wish to marry?"

"I wish to bring my family honor."

"But do you wish to marry?"

"I do not."

"Then I shall find you a man who feels the same. Good day Li Lian, good luck," she said and bowed. Lian bowed too.

"And to you Madam." Lian said and left, not bothering to hide her soldier's step.

Li Lian rode as fast as the wind on a sturdy bay horse through the fields on the outskirts of her village. She heard the sound of the horse's hooves hitting the farmed ground mix with the sound of the uncut wheat hitting the horse's legs. She felt herself rise and fall with each motion and step the horse made. She could feel the wind from speed blowing on her face and keep her hair flying behind her. She smiled at the taste of true and complete freedom. She heard her name called and looked over to see a farmer waving to her. She waved back and yelled a greeting.

Lian walked into the courtyard of her home just as an Imperial Guard trotted out of the large wooden doors on a white stallion. Mulan stood alone in the middle of the courtyard holding a scroll and her head looking down. Fa Li stood by the door into the house looking at her daughter with worry. Lian walked over to her mother, getting covered with dust from the courtyard's ground.

"Mother?" Lian asked worriedly, seeing the sad expression on her mother's face. Mulan looked up at her daughter and wiped a hidden tear from her eye so Lian wouldn't see.

"Lian, daughter, your father's troops have been captured by the Huns. Di Ren, the Hun general, has asked for my head in exchange for the troops," Mulan explained. Lian was too shocked to react, so Mulan continued.

"The Emperor, the Emperor says he will recruit more soldiers for a rescue mission. He is hopeful."

"He is lying," Lian finally said, gritting her teeth in anger.

"I know, but it was all he could say. You should know, I sent to him that if, that if the recruits are unsuccessful, I will give myself up."

"Mother you can't!"

"I can, and I will, I must," Mulan said simply.

"So either way I lose a parent, and maybe both!" Lian yelled and ran past her grandmother to her room crying. Mulan sighed and a tear ran off her chin and landed in the puddle of water where her daughter had just been standing.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day Lian performed her duties quickly and angrily. Mumbling worries and regrets to herself. As she was sweeping the stone steps in the back of the house she heard the sound of a horse hoofs came through the front gate. She quickly dropped her broom and ran around to the front of the house. She got there in time to see a man in soldier's garb dismounting a horse. She knew who she was at once and smiled widely.

"Chen!" she yelled as she ran over to him. He noticed her and smiled back as she hugged him.

"Hey watch the armor Lian, I wouldn't want you to bang it up or anything," he said. She punched him playfully on the chin. The smile on her face turned into a worried expression.

"You're not supposed to be home for another month…"

"I know. They, they've called for me to join the army since I'm doing so well at the academy. They want me to look for Baba. They told all of us that we would be meeting in front of the Imperial Palace to receive orders tomorrow morning. It's only a mile from here so I came home to see you guys!"

"It is good to see you brother," Lian told him.

"Good to see you too, I kind of felt like only half myself when you're not around."

"Mother says twins are like that."

"How is Mother?"

"I haven't spoken to her since we found out, I wasn't at breakfast."

"Why not?"

"I wasn't hungry."

"At the academy they tell us it is better to grieve with food in your stomach then to just grieve."

"We have no reason in which to grieve Ling."

"You're right, of course."

"Now let's go tell Mother of your arrival, it will lighten her spirits."

That evening when everyone was talking Lian scrubbed the floor in the Armor Room. Here they kept the armor that belonged to her grandfather and her mother. Along with the sword of Shan Yu and the Emperor's crest, there was a cupboard for her Father's armor but it was bear with the exception of his father's helmet and sword perched on top of it. There was also a cupboard for Ling's armor, which had been placed there early in the day. Lian dropped the dirty cloth into a bucket of dirt water. She dried her hands on her pants and walked over to the cupboard holding her twin brother's armor. It was night so the room was lit by candlelight. Lian had developed an odd quirk, when she couldn't sleep she'd clean. She opened the cupboard and studied the armor in the flickering candlelight. She ran her hand over the finely woven breastplate. The armor would fit her easily, she knew, she had been the model for it as it was being made for her brother. They looked alike and were the same physical type, only she was a girl. She lifted the sword and held it in her hands and went through the paces. Both of her parents had taught her how it was to be a soldier. She was as good as any man. As she was placing the sword back a roll of paper tied with red string fell from somewhere on her brother's armor. She picked it up and read it. It was his order to the Imperial Palace. Lian gripped it in her hands and looked over at the cupboard holding the armor her mother had worn when she had saved China. Lian smiled as she rushed from the room.

An hour after everyone went to bed, Lian walked into her room and changed into her training gear. She cut, and wrapped her hair up in a bun and wiped the make-up her grandmother made her wear off. She was about to leave the room when she saw the moonshine glimmer off of something near her bed. She turned around and saw her father's pendant on the table by her bed. She walked over and picked it up. She lifted it around her neck and left the room.

She walked into the barn in full armor, it had been awhile since she had worn armor, and it felt odd but natural. She saddled her horse and mounted it.

"Let's go!" she said as the horse took off. Lian could feel the sword at her side bouncing with the animal's movements. The moon was beginning to vanish and the sun was rising, giving just enough light for her to see. She learned how to ride a horse going back and forth to the Imperial Palace and had ridden there many times since, so she knew the road well. She could get to the Imperial Palace in about fifteen minutes, she could get something to eat and still be early to get her instructions. She ran her story through her mind to make sure she got it right. Her name was Li Chen, son of General Li Shang, and had been ordered to come to the Imperial Palace. All she had to do was keep her chest hidden, her hair up, and answer to the name Chen. She could do that she knew she could. She'd be so good of a soldier she'd move up through the ranks and be put in the troops that would go to rescue her father. She would bring her father home. She swore that to her mother and family as she rode into the Imperial Palace.


	4. Chapter 4

Lian quickly brushed grains of rice off of her armor and wiped her mouth with a sleeve. She had seen her father and brother doing that whenever her mother wasn't looking. She rode up to the area before the steps that went up to the Imperial Palace itself. Lian had long ago gotten used to the grandeur of it, but she never got over knowing that this was the place where her mother saved the entire Middle Kingdom. She smiled with pride as she rode through men who where also called there. Some of them looked too young or too old to be soldiers. Training would be brutal on them. The young ones would turn into men and the old, well, she didn't want to think. She heard the gongs ring and every man's attention turned to the top of the long row of steps. The Emperor stepped to the head of the stairs and everyone bowed. His council members stepped up beside him, as did a young man in armor. Lian guessed that would be De Sheng, the prince.

"Men of the Middle Kingdom! I thank you for helping to retrieve the soldiers we have lost to the Hun army!" the Emperor started. He wasn't the same emperor who had bowed to Mulan he was his eldest son.

"Now each of you will have to under go training to become China's finest soldiers!" he finished and he and his councilmen left. A heavy-set man in the crowd, a soldier, started yelling out that the men who have had any military training should gather by the stairs. Lian steered her horse toward the stairs, eyeing every other man she saw headed in the same direction as her. She saw a group of three men who all looked the same. She reached the stairs first and got to them the same time De Shen reached the bottom. She bowed to him and he smirked, which she thought was very odd. Once all the men had gathered the prince eyed them all, surveying them. Lian realized she was the only one of horseback; she felt a little embarrassed sticking out so much.

"You men have had military training? You look like a bunch of women in armor!" he yelled out to them. Lian narrowed her eyes. She guessed princes don't have to worry about first impressions. Shen had noticed Lian narrowing her eyes in anger.

"You, on the horse! Dismount and come over here," he commanded. She did so and handed the reins to a man standing near by. She walked over to me.

"Sir?" she asked.

"Do you realize that you are not soldier material?" he asked her. Her eyes narrowed even more.

"Why do you say that, Sir?"

"Look at you, you're so small, you could fight a woman and lose," he told her.

"Excuse me sir! Size does not matter. You, as a member of the Chinese army should know that of all people. A single soldier once defeated the entire Hun army, thousands of men. In the Chinese Army size means nothing compared to the strength, skill, and intelligence of every single soldier in it, Sir," she told him.

"You said that quite sure of yourself, tell me what is your name?"

"Li Chen, and all due with respect sir, I am quite sure of myself" she responded. She was Chen, not Lian.

"You may remount your horse Chen. All of you, follow me!" he said as he walked through the crowd. Lian remounted her horse and followed.

Shen had mounted a white stallion and was now leading the group of about thirty men to a campsite. Besides the Prince, Lian was the only other person on horseback. She rode a little behind and to the right of Shen, not wishing to cross paths with him. He would have to prove himself to her as an army captain before she would even think of respect him. She felt that because he was born into a place of respect, he didn't have to be respected.

"Chen, come up here," Shen ordered her. She obeyed and rode her horse parallel to his.

"What you were talking about, the entire Hun army being beaten by a single soldier, you were talking about Mulan, weren't you?" he asked.

"Indeed I was."

"Are you aware that my family and hers are close?"

"I am."

"Are you aware she has a son and a daughter?"

"I am."

"Do you say anything but 'I am, and indeed I was'?"

"What do you think?" she responded. He grumbled slightly and they rode the rest of the way in silence.

The camp had been set up when they got there. The tents for the Prince, the supervising council member and the kitchen had been set up. The men had brought their own tents and set them up around the camp. Lian set hers up just up of the camp under a cherry tree beginning to bloom. Now she stood in the lineup the next morning in her training clothes. She saw a log sticking vertically in the ground and sighed. She stood at the end of the line farthest from the log so hopefully she'd be last. She noticed a young man sitting in front of one of the big tents writing on some paper in his lap. Shen walked out in front of the line of people, taking off his overcoat and throwing it to the ground behind him. He walked back and forth along the row of men starting by the log. When he got back to where he started he pulled out a bow and arrow and shot it to the top of the log. If he had gripped the bow tighter the shot would have been swifter, Lian thought.

"You," Shen said pointing to the man closest to him, "retrieve the arrow. But don't forget these," he said as the man walked over to the pole. Shen handed him one round stone tied to a strap.

"This signifies discipline," he said as the man's hand fell under its weight.

"And this signifies strength," Lian whispered.

"And this signifies strength," Shen said as the man's other hand dropped to the ground.

"You need both to reach the arrow," Lian whispered.

"You need both to reach the arrow," Shen said. The man tried, he failed. As did the next, and the one after that and so on, by the time it was Lians' turn the arrow was still stuck in the top of the pole, and Shen looked like he lost all hope. Lian grabbed the straps and easily carrying them to the log, she turned her head slightly just to give Shen a grin. He noticed this and looked at her curiously. Lian swung the stones around the back of the pole so they wound together. She used them to easily climb her way to the top of the pole and throw the arrow at Shen's feet. She had to admit, it felt good being so good at something every other man failed at. She climbed down the pole and handed Shen the weights hard, "Size doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is the soldier." And then got back into line, knowing very well every man there was looking at her in shock, and Prince Shen was pissed.

The rest of the day went like that. She already excelled at everything Shen was teaching them. She even helped some of the other men. Then it came time for Shen to stand at the ledge with a staff and a bucket of water on his head. In three groups of ten the men each picked up a stone and threw them at Shen. Shen repelled every one of them. Lian had to admit he was good. She was in the second group. While every other man picked up the smallest stones they could find, so they'd be harder to hit, Lian picked up a medium sized one. When Shen told them to throw all the other men threw rocks right at him. Lian threw her rock up into the air and landed it perfectly in the bucket of water with a "plunk" sound. The sound made Shen look up by instinct and hence making him drop the bucket of water from his head. He didn't get wet but he still didn't look pleased. Her father hadn't been pleased when she first did that to him either. Her mother thought it had been hilarious. Lian smiled remembering her mother laughing so hard as her father picked up the bucket. Shen handed the staff to Lian and shoved her to the ledge. He placed a bucket of water on her head and told the third group to take aim. Lian readied herself as all the rocks came flying at her. As she expected they were all medium-sized and were thrown to land in the bucket. She repelled them all easily. Shen picked up a small stone and threw it at her stomach after all the others had been repelled. Lian dropped a hand and caught the stone quickly. She looked up at him and stared into his eyes, she walked up to him with the bucket on her head and handed the stone back to Shen, "Nice try your sir."


	5. Chapter 5

Lian felt tired as she stood in the food line for her rice. She held her bowl and chopsticks and took steps forward as the line moved up. She sighed in boredom and looked around the camp. She saw the same young man who had been sitting in front of the tent that morning. She figured he was the supervising councilman. He looked too young to be one though. He wasn't wearing his hat that he had been earlier; he had his hair down and tied behind him. He looked as if he had been pampered his whole life, yet he still was well built. Shen looked like a man who had actually gone through military training, with a well-built physique and a small scar under his left eye that made him look distinguished. The councilman walked over to her to her surprise.

"Are you Li Chen?" he asked. She nodded.

"The Captain wishes to speak with you," he told her and began to lead her in the direction of Shen's tent. She placed her bowl and chopsticks into a fold of her clothes and followed him. Shen's tent was a golden color with dark red trimming. The councilman lifted a flap of the tent and told her to go it. She found Shen sitting in the middle of the room looking at a map of China and eating casually from a bowl of rice. He looked up as the flaps closed behind her, leaving the two of them alone.

"You wish to speak with me, Sir?" she asked.

"I do," he said beckoning her to sit on the ground opposite of him. She did so and her eyes surveyed the map. He was working on a plan of attack.

"Do you consider me a fool?" he asked her. She looked up at him in surprise.

"Sir?"

"You better me at the Imperial Palace, on the trip here, at the pole, on the ledge. Every encounter we have with each other you seem only to prove yourself better then I. So, do you consider me a fool?"

"No, sir, I do not. I consider you one who enjoys being tested. Hence why you called me here, for a rematch. Now if you'll excuse me, Sir, I am hungry" she said standing up and walking out of the tent.

"Wait!" she heard him yell as he quickly followed her out of his tent. She continued walking away as he caught up.

"You consider yourself quite highly!" he said to her.

"I consider myself quite hungry, _SIR_" she corrected him walking toward the line for rice.

"You do know who I am, don't you?"

"You are a man who has been led to believe he deserves respect for doing something all other men and women have done. The simple act of being born."

"You are the bravest man I have ever met Chen. No man would ever try to test me, or get on the bad side of me!"

"I am not a brave man, Sir."

"Then you are foolish?"

"I am Li Chen, Sir. I am no fool," she said as she continued walking even though he stopped surprised.

"You're hiding something from me Li Chen, and I know what it is," he told her. She stopped in her tracks. Could he?

"What are you talking about sir, I hide nothing from you, Sir," she told him. He walked over to her, now grinning.

"I should have put it together sooner. Li Chen, I know who you are."

"What do you mean, Sir?"

"You are the son of General Li, aren't you?" he asked. Lian felt a wave of relief rush over her.

"I am."

"Why did you hide that from me?"

"I did no such thing Sir," she told him beginning to walk toward the rice line again. Now she really was getting quite hungry.

"Then why didn't you tell me?"

"You didn't ask, and I plan on working hard and earning my respect, that is why I didn't tell you. You would have given me respect just because General Li Shang is my father"

"Anything else about you I should ask?"

"Perhaps if I'd like to be part of the troops sent to retrieve my Father?"

"You have no choice in the matter, but of course you will be."

"Then I am glad I have no choice."

"You know, I'd be willing to bet that your sister is mad that you're out here and not her."

"I wouldn't bet against you," Lian said and smiled.

"How is Lian doing? I haven't seen her for, hmm, six years."

"She was at the Matchmaker's all but four days ago."

"She's old enough for the Matchmaker's already?"

"As am I," Lian said. It felt kind of weird talking about herself.

"Me too, ha! Perhaps your sister and I shall be matched together!" Shen said and laughed. Lian stopped walking frozen in her tracks with her eyes wide open. Shen noticed and turned around curiously.

"Against the idea?" he asked smiling.

"I fear for your safety only Sir," Lian told him. Shen laughed.

"You and Lian have a lot in common then?"

"Almost everything, she is my other half, sir" Lian answered him.

"Then I fear for my safety as well," Shen said as Lian started to walk again. She took out her bowl and chopsticks and got in line. The men in front of her bowed to Shen. Shen smiled at her.

"Relax men, in the rice line all of us are nothing but hungry souls, right Chen?"

"Wrong, Sir. In the rice line we are all still under your command. We still must act upon your order and desire. You are our future emperor, and therefore in your presence we must bow," Lian told him and bowed. She replaced her bowl and chopsticks into her clothes and walked off in the direction of her tent. She could skip a meal; sleep would cure her hunger for a bit.

Lian walked into her tent and made sure she tied the flap closed. It wasn't as large as Shen's but was roomy enough. She untied her sword first and set it on the ground. She took her bowl and chopsticks and set them by her sword. She sighed and sat down on her mat.

"Chen."

Lian tied her hair up fast. "Yes sir?"

Shen walked in, "I'm sorry for barging in on you like this."

"That is ok sir."

"I am sorry about your father Chen. He trained me when he was always at the palace. They wouldn't let me outside of the walls. They said it was for my own protection."

"I'm sorry. But why are you telling me this?"

"What has happen to us Chen? We have been friends for years, and now-"

"It's easy sir, you are the next emperor, you get any woman you want excuse me any amount of women you want."

"But I don't want that. I don't want to be married I don't want to be emperor."

Right then the messenger comes in.

"Sir I'm sorry, Chen there is a message for you."

He hands the letter to Lian.

"Chen I will leave you."

"Thank you sir."

_Dear Lian,_

_Why did you go? It was Chen's spot not yours. I know you want to save your father, and me but you didn't have to go. The matchmaker has found someone in the military; she thought that you might feel a little bit at home with someone in the military. She didn't tell me his name though. Just please come home safe. I couldn't handle losing a child, and a husband. Come home darling._

_Love,_

_Your mother_


	6. Chapter 6

About 2 months later their training was finally over, and they were able to go and save the troops. Shen called the recruits to line up.

"You all have trained good, I wish I could bring all of you, but the Huns would be able to spot us easily."

He called off people that were going with him, and the others went to pack up and go home.

"Those of you that have made it, we leave in two days. In those two days I will be choosing a second in command. It is getting late go and eat."

He dismissed them and everyone went to eat except for Lian she went into her tent and got her towel, she decided she smelled enough like a man. And enough was enough.

Lian took off her clothes and left them on the tree besides the water. And quickly got in, the water felt good against her.

"Chen?"

Lian looked horrified

"Chen are you over here?"

Lian lowered her head into the water, and swam behind a rock hoping he didn't hear her move in the water, but luck was not on her side.

"Who is that! Show yourself!" He was about to go see what it or who itwas, when the messenger came up to him.

"Sir we have a situation in camp and we need your assistance sir."

"Can it wait?"

"I am afraid not sir."

Shen looked at the water then back at the messenger.

"Ok lets go."

"That was close" Lian thought to herself, "well I have some time, and then I have to go before Shen comes back."

When she was swimming over to where her clothes were left out she stopped, someone was coming. She quickly swam back behind the rock, and looked on the side of the rock to see who was coming. It was Shen. She had grown to like him greatly. She saw him take off his shirt. He never took off his shirt during training, but when she saw him she was focused on his chest. It was perfect. He was well built and hand had abs of steel! When she became un-hypnotized by Shen's chest, she noticed what he was planning on doing. She was trapped in the water, but luckily he didn't see the clothes about a yard down. She still had a chance to hide, and when it was safe she would come out. She looked at Shen, but he wasn't there any more, she heard a splash, and now was her chance. She ran out into the trees where her clothes were. She quickly got on her clothes and went back to her tent.

She sat outside her tent with her knees up and her head resting in her arms.

"Are you ok Chen?"

Lian looked up, "Oh hi Shen, yes I am fine."

"That's funny, you don't look fine to me." Shen sat down next to Chen. "What is the matter Chen?And don't say nothing, becauseI know you better than you think."

"Its just I fear for my father's life."

"I sent everyone home last week to say goodbye to their families because I don't know the outcome of this war. But you stayed here, why?"

"Its hard to explain."

"Tell me."

"I rather not, if you don't mind. When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow at dawn."

Lian sighed, "I just hope my father is alright."

Shen put a hand on Lian's shoulder, "General Li Shang is a strong person. I am sure he is fine. We will find him I promise. General Li Shang is of great importance. The Huns would not kill him."

"I remember the last words he said to me the night before he left." She thought back to her fight about being a soldier.

"What were his last words?"

"Huh? Oh um, 'I'll be back, I promise.' I was almost not going to see him off the next morning, because I was upset with him, but I said goodbye becauseI knew something was going to happen"

"I'm sorry."

"I should have done something."

"There was nothing you could do. Its getting late you should turn in, we leave at dawn."

"Yes sir."

Hope you like it!


	7. Chapter 7

Lian woke up a few hours before dawn. She was thinking about her father and reading over the letter she was going to send Chen asking for forgiveness for what she did. She didn't even notice Shen come up behind her.

"Your up early. I would have thought you would have been sleeping in as long as you could."

"I couldn't sleep much longer."

"Excited?"

"Anything but."

"What are you reading?"

"Huh? Oh this, it's a letter… from my sister Lian" (lying)

"Are you guys close?"

"Yeah I guess, you could even say we are the same person."

"Wow, that sounds like fun."

"Yeah you don't even know what a blast it is."

"Well you better get ready everyone will be getting up soon to pack up."

"Yes sir."

She sent the letter and got packed. About an hour later they were getting ready to leave.

"Soldiers!" Shen called out, "General Li Shang and his troops have been waiting long enough. Lets not keep them waiting."

They traveled on the road for the entire day non-stop and found the Hun's camp. They arrived there at night and spied on the camp.

"I don't see our troops. Some of us will have to go down there."

"No Sir! The Huns will spot us. One of us will go. I will."

"Chen you can't stay here I will go."

"Sir, you are to be emperor, you must stay here. I will go and don't try to stop me." Lian walks away to a secluded place.

"What are you trying to prove Chen?"

Lian turns around.

"Nothing you would understand. Now excuse me. I will be ready in 10 minutes." She walked away a little further, sat down and started to write.

_Mama_

_I am sorry I ran away, but I had to do something. I couldn't sit by and see you and Baba die. I didn't want Chen to go, because you guys are proud of him, he is everything you wanted in a son and then it comes to me a daughter who acts like a son. I couldn't sit around waiting to meet my husband one it's not me, and two I didn't want to lose any of you. If I knew I could have prevented one or both of you dieing I would do anything. I just wish I could've been the daughter you expected me to be. But ever since I remember I was never someone that could be married off. I was never someone who could just sit around the house and have babies. I am a soldier, and I always will be. I have to get going now. Please what ever happens do not come here stay home, and know I love you. I am sorry if I disappointed you._

_Love always,_

_Lian_

Lian walked up to the messenger.

"Give this immediately to Li Mulan. Please."

"Yes sir."

Lian started to walk into the forest so she wouldn't be spotted easily.

"Chen!"

Lian kept walking

"Chen will you stop!" Lian turned around

"What do you want, sir. I am telling you I am going and you are staying."

"Chen what are you trying to prove? You have nothing to prove."

"You know nothing!" She could almost scream.

"You are not going alone, even IF you are General Li Shang's son."

"Then I am sorry to do this. Please forgive me sir." Shen gives Lian a confused look and she knocked him out.

Lian sneaked down to the tent are. She got down on the ground and peaked in under the tent, and saw Di Rin. She was about to cut open the tent and rip open his heart, but she couldn't risk anything until she got the others out.

She went to a few more tents before she found Li Shang. She was confused, his hands were not bound he had a lavished tent. She made sure no one was coming and she cut a whole in his tent.

"Baba?"

Shang turned around. Lian looked into his eyes, he was different. His eyes they weren't this strong but gentle, hard but soft, all she saw was anger hurt, cold. She walked up to him and put her hand on his arm. "Baba?" he grabbed her arm, and twisted it behind her back. She would have tried to get out of his grasp, but he was to strong.

He dragged her out of the tent and to Di Ren.

"Sir we have an intruder."

"What are you doing!" Lian yelled at Shang

Di Ren starts to smile, "where are the others?"

"What are you talking about others? There are no others. I came alone."

"Why would you do that?" Di Ren asked trying to drag out the truth

"Because you threatened my mother you bastard!" Shang pulled Lian's arm up.

"Ah so you are the _son_ of that Bitch."

"NO I am _not _the _son_ of Fa Mulan the Hero of China. I am her daughter."

"What is it with women?" he looks at Shang, "trying to take a man's spot, who do they think they are?" they start laughing

"I'll tell you who _we _are. We are better then you. Better then men."

Di Ren slugs her in the stomach and face. "Tie her up in the middle tent. We will see if her brother will come to save her."

Shang drags her off into the other tent. He tied her hands to the top of the pole and her legs to the bottom.

"What has happened to you?"

"He is under my power. He knows that we are going to rule China, and he was smart to change." Di Ren said walking in.

"He would never join you. China will never fall."

He starts to beat her. "That's what you think."

"BABA! HELP ME PLEASE! BABA!" She was badly beaten when they finally had enough.

"Where are they?" Di Ren asked again

"I will never tell you that." And she spit at him; and he punched her in the face.

"Tell me now!"

"I'd rather die then tell you."

"That can be arranged. She will die with an audience. Find her troops and bring the leader to me."

"You will never find them!"

"if we don't find them in two days kill her brother."

"NO!" she screamed

"If we don't find them in 4 days bring the mother here and in 5 days and we still cant find them kill her."

"NO!"

"Change your mind wench?"

"No and I am NOT a wench!"

Later on, late at night when everyone fell asleep, Lian heard a tear in the back of her tent.

"Chen." Shen whispered. Lian turned her head to see Shen walk in front of her.

"Shen."

"Are you ok?" the look of concern in his eyes.

"Yes, I am alright, just get the other troops out of here" she told him what tents. She dropped her head.

"Shen" she looked at him, making her voice normal. "I have ask you to do something important for me. Please forgive me."

"Chen what is with your voice?"

"I'm not Chen."

"Then who are you?"

"My name is Li Lian. I didn't mean to hurt you in anyway. You just don't know how close my father and I are. When he leaves to go off to war I always get scared that he would never come back, and this time my nightmare has come true."

"But why didn't you tell me?" Lian looked at him

"Do you really think you would have let me train with you, let alone get into the camp?"

"No, no I guess not."

"Anyways I have to ask you for help-"

"No problem I will untie you in just a moment."

"No! leave me here. You have to protect Chen and my mother."

"Come with us."

"No I cant, my father is still here. Make sure the Huns don't spot you, or else they will kill you. They will kill my mother and brother if you don't protect them, and if the Huns don't find you."

"I feel so stupid."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't see that you were a girl, I mean when I looked into your eyes, you seamed different, but it didn't occur to me that you were _that_ different-"

"Shen I don't mean to interrupt but you must get out of here. They will be here any minute. You mustn't get caught. Please protect my family." She starts to cry; Shen knees down in front of her and wipes the tears away from her eyes.

"I promise I will send them somewhere they will be safe, and then I will come back for you."

"No you cant! I mean stay far away from here."

"I am a soldier, and a soldier's duty is to protect-"

"Shen I am only going to say this once, and then you HAVE to go, and never come back. Promise me, please?"

"I promise, I promise, but I cant say that I am going to be able to stay away."

"You have to. You are not a soldier you are the next emperor. You cant come back, you'll put your life in danger if you do. So please go back to the palace, and stay there. Tell my family I love them so much. I don't know what the outcome is going to be, and if I lose my life, I just want my family to know that I am sorry and I love them now go."

"You-"

"GO!" Shen looked at her in a sympathetic way, turned around and crawled out the hole he made pulled something in front of the hole so no one could see it.

Shang walks into the tent 5 minutes later. "Ready to talk?"

"I don't know, are you alone?"

"Yes I am."

"Then I am ready to talk."


	8. Chapter 8

"Start talking then."

"What have they done to you baba?"

"Where are they?"

"They moved out."

"What happened, they found out you were a girl and just left you here to die?"

"No. I told them to get the soldiers out of here, and leave me here."

"WHAT?" Shang ran out of the tent and into the prisoners' tent.

"Di Ren!" He yelled running into his tent. "The prisoners… they are gone!"

"WHAT?"

"I guess one of the soldiers snuck into the tent and got the others free."

"YOU GUESS!" Di Ren yelled at him. "Keep an eye on Lian. They might come back to free her. Go in her tent and don't leave! If she escapes I will have your head!"

"Yes sir."

Shang was returning to Liam's tent when he heard her singing. He stood outside her tent listening.

I'm already there  
Take a look around  
I'm the sunshine in your hair  
I'm the shadow on the ground  
I'm the whisper in the wind  
And I'll be there until the end  
Can you feel the love that we share  
Oh I'm already there  
Oh I'm already  
There

He walked in as soon as he knew she was done singing… "That song, it sounds so familiar." He said calmly and quietly.

Lian looked up, "it should, you sang it to me when I was little, before you went off to war."

"I never had any children. You are mistaken." His voice started to get stronger and lauder.

Lian bowed her head; "yeah I guess I must have mistaken you for someone else. He was a good man, he taught me everything I know. What do you want now? I am not going to tell you where they are."

"What are you trying to prove? Why are you going to let them kill you. Just tell us where the troops are."

Lian looked up into his eyes, "because I don't want to be like you anymore baba. A traitor. I rather die young with honor, than die being a traitor like you have become."

Shang smacked her, Lian was surprised, but at the same time not. Shang never laid a hand on her, but this was not Shang. Her father, who she had known was dead, instead there was this traitor standing in front of her.

"Get out of here!" Lian screamed.Shang returned to Di Ren's tent and told him that she was not going to tell them anything. Di Ren told some of his men to go pick up her brother, they were talking loud and she prayed to her ancestors that Shen got there in time to get them to safety. Hours past Lian remembered how her father use to be. She was forced from her thoughts when she heard horses drawing near. She tried to look out through the flap, but it was no use she couldn't see anything.

"WHAT! What do you mean they disappeared! BRING HER TO ME **NOW!**"

She saw a shadow come toward the tent and then there was Shang. He untied her legs and then her hands from the poll. She had her chance to escape. She drop kicked Shang and ran. She didn't get far, since she was in the middle of camp and the Huns were walking all around her. She was tackled at once. The Huns picked her up and held her there, she watched Shang walk out of the tent. He walked towards her, "So you think you can escape? Well you were caught."

"Yeah, so. What are you going to do about that?"

"Hold her tight." He told the Huns that held her. He punched her in the stomach, and face. And then he kicked her hard in the stomach.

"Drop her." When they did he grabbed her bound hands and dragged her into the tent.

Di Ren didn't care what happened, he just came up to her and yelled at her.

"Where are they?"

"Fuck you." She was smacked.

"Tell me now!"

"Go to hell!" she was smacked again.

Di Ren looked at Shang. "Take her back to her tent. She dies in 2 days."

Lian was horrified the end was drawing near. She was bound back to the pole, and was left there for the rest of the night. She cried herself to sleep.

"Psst. Lian" Lian woke up and looked in back of her. It was Shen.

"Shen. What are you doing here?"

"getting you out of here."

"No Shen. Now leave!" she turned her head away from him.

Shen walked closer to her, and caressed her face. "What is wrong Lian?"

"They did something to my father. If I cant save him, then I die."

"No Lian. You are coming with me"

"Get out of here! Touch me, and I'll yell for the guards. Now Go!"

Shen looked at her hurt, but leaned in and kissed her, "Please Shen leave here and never come back. Please do it for me."

"I don't want to lose you-"

"You wont. What ever happens, I will always be with you. Now go. LEAVE!" she was in tears. She watched him leave tears in his eyes. Shang came in and looked around. "who were you talking to?"

"no one."

Shang was about to run out to see who was there that she was talking to, when Lian shouted, "You wanna know something?"

Shang turned around, "What?"

"You were a great man. I knew something was going to happen to you, that is why I didn't want to see you off."

"Who was in here?"

"The future Emperor. He just came in here telling me that he would get me out now. Instead I told him I was going to stay and he kissed me and left." She said with no expression on her face, so it was hard to tell if she was making it up or if she was telling the truth. The day passed like always she was tortured and then beaten and brought back to her tent to sit.

Di Ren came in alone. Lian watched him not being able to do anything, but stand there. He came up to her.

"You have one more day till you die."

"Yeah what are you trying to get at?" she looked at him, he was getting closer to her. His lips getting closer to hers until his lips fell upon hers. His right hand caressing her breast and his left moving down her body, until it reached its destination. Lian was able to get his lips off of hers.

"Get off of me you ass!" but he didn't listen he forced his lips on hers again and moved as close to her as possible. He moved his left hand from her sacred area and moved it to her other breast. He started to move his hips back and fourth. Lian was horrified at what he was doing. He was getting himself aroused and caressing her breasts. He unbuttoned her shirt and started to rape her. Before he was able to go lower one of the Huns came in and told him they needed him, he looked at her and then at him, and sighed. "I'll be back beautiful." He smirked at her and left. She was left half naked. When he left she started to cry. Shang came in about 5 minutes later and saw what he was trying to do. He covered her and started to talk to her.

"Please kill me now. I am begging you. I don't want to die knowing Iwas raped."

"He wont be able to come back tonight, he is swamped with work. You still have some time to tell us where the troops are."

"Don't bother trying to get it out of me, can you just untie my legs so I can curl up and cry. And then just leave me."

"I can do better."

Lian was horrified by what he said, was he going to do something to her? But she watched him untie her hands and feet. "You can't go anywhere we will be up all night. Me guarding you, and the others partying about the-"

"Thank you, now please just leave me." Shang sighed and walked out.

Lian remembered when she was younger. Her brother just left for the academy, her mother went out of town, and her father was still at war. She was alone. She was practicing when she heard laughing. She spun around and there she saw her father there.

"BABA!" she yelled running up to her.

"Where is your mother?"

"She went out of town."

"And you are here alone?"

"Yes."

"For how long?"

"About 2 days. But Fai has been coming over everyday to look after me."

Shang smiled at her. "What!" Lian smiled back.

Lian remembered the song Shang had sang to her years ago when he came home. She got up from the ground and walked over to the tent flap and stared out. She started to sing.

It must have been cold there in my shadow,  
to never have sunlight on your face.  
You were content to let me shine, that's your way,  
you always walked a step behind.

So I was the one with all the glory,  
while you were the one with all the strength.  
A beautiful face without a name -- for so long,  
a beautiful smile to hide the pain.

Did you ever know that you're my hero,  
and ev'rything I would like to be?  
I can fly higher than an eagle,  
'cause you are the wind beneath my wings.

It might have appeared to go unnoticed,  
but I've got it all here in my heart.  
I want you to know I know the truth, of course I know it,  
I would be nothing with out you.

She was to die the next morning. Only 10 hours left to live, and she still wanted to do so much more in her life. She sighed. Thinking about her family and friends. 'Why did I have to come' she thought to herself.

Fires are burning,

The nightmare's begun.

The world is dark again,

I need your lullaby.

Sleep has gone.

Night is long again.

Sing me your song.

Let me sleep.

Bring me peace.

Lian fell asleep a little after.

She woke up at run rise. And bowed her head. She walked towards the entrance of the tent, there was Shang walking towards her tent, and in the distance she saw the Huns getting everything set for her execution. She turned around and walked to the back of the tent. She fell to her knees and started to pray. When she got up she spotted something that must have fallen out of her pocket. She picked it up and looked at it. She couldn't believe her eyes. She forgot all about it. It was the necklace her father Shang had given to her when she was younger. She looked at it and traced it with her finger. She remembered what Shang had told her when he gave it to her.

He was going off to battle and she didn't want him to go. He got down on his knee so he was about her size. He looked at her and smiled. She watched his hands go around his neck and take off the necklace, and put it on her. "I will always be here with you. When ever you put this on I will be there." She looked at the necklace and then at him, then she jumped up on him and hugged him.

"What are you looking at?" Lian turned around to see Shang standing in the flap way.

"Oh its nothing. Its just something my father gave me before he went off to war."

She watched Shang walk towards her and sit down besides her. She looked over at him he held out his hand and she gave him the necklace. She watched him trace his fingers over it.

"Its beautiful. It looks so familiar."

"It should… it's yours, baba." Shang looked over at her.

"I am not you father, I never married and never had kids."

"Baba, you are General Li Shang, general of the Chinese Army. When you where a Captain, there was a soldier that first you let go, but then they came back to be your best soldier. They saved your life, and betrayed you when you found out that soldier was a women. You saved her life, because she saved yours. Then she saved you and the emperor, when the Huns came back and swarmed the palace. You married her a couple of months later. You had two kids, twins to be precise, Chen and myself. You gave me that necklace when I was 8 years old before you left for battle."

"No I am not Chinese, I am a Hun-"

"No baba, you are not a Hun. When you were captured they did something to you. If mama didn't come then the soldiers in your troop would be beheaded. But they couldn't kill you; you were an importance to them. I don't know what for but you are." Shang got up; he was about to say something when Di Ren came in.

"Shang, get ready. She will be executed in a little bit.

"Yes sir." Di Ren walked out and Shang walked to where Lian was now standing. Shang went to put her necklace on her, but Lian refused it.

"Keep it baba, it was yours until you gave it to me. NowI give it back to you. Remember me." Shang gave her a confused look, and watched Lian get up and take the necklace and put it around his neck.

"Baba, I forgive you. And I am proud to call you my father." He turned around and walked out.

Lian dropped to her knee and cried, She prayed to her ancestors. It was only a couple of minutes before she was to die. She started to sing to herself. Songs that her father had sang to her. She cried, but she knew she was doing what was right.

All hope was gone

Hard to hang on

Hard to be strong

Was blind, could not see

Nothing but walls in front of me and inside no peace

And the mountains seemed impossible to climb until...

You stood on the front lines

You led the way, out of the darkness

We didn't go astray

You were ready to die for our sake

And that takes a soldier's heart

Oceans so deep

Uphill so steep

But still we believe

And when the road was too far to travel

Heros you came and carried us there

And the mountains seemed impossible to climb until...

You stood on the front lines

You led the way, out of the darkness

We didn't go astray

You were ready to die for our sake

And that takes a soldier's heart

And so our flag was still there

All because you decided to care

You stood on the front lines

You led the way, out of the darkness

You could have let us go astray

You were ready to die for our sake

And that takes a soldier's heart

And that takes a soldier's heart

Shang couldn't understand what was going on. He was a Hun, not a Chinese General. He never had a family, nor a wife. But he had this feeling deep down inside him, that something that Lian was telling him was true. But he shook it off and went to eat and then went to talk to Di Ren.

"Its time. Go get the prisoner Shang." Shang nodded and left the tent, on his way to Lian's tent he heard a song that was very familiar. He remembered the song, but couldn't remember where he heard it.

He used to play in daddy's uniform  
With the stripes across the sleeve  
And he knew when he was all grown up  
What he was gonna to be  
He used to like to ambush every careless cat or dog  
That had the nerve to cross the battle lines he had drawn

And even though he didn't know  
What his dad was fighting for  
He was proud to be the other little soldier  
In this war

The phone rang in the middle of the night  
When they called his dad to go  
Kissed him and his mom goodbye  
And said God I love you both  
I know that it's a lot to ask of such a little man  
But hold the fort and  
I'll be home as quickly as I can

And even though he didn't know  
What his dad was fighting for  
He was proud to be the other little soldier  
In this war

When he walked into the tent she stopped singing, she knew what he had come for… her. It was time.

"Where did you- how do you know that song?"

Lian looked up at him. "You taught me that song."

"We have to go." Lian nodded and got up.

"I'm ready."

Lian walked in front of him and out through the tent. She walked with dignity to her death. When she reached where they were going to execute her, she turned around, "Baba, please forgive me. I know understand the fight we had. War is not a game."

Shang remembered the fight they had months ago. When Lian was walking further to where she was going to be executed Shang grabbed her arm. Lian looked back. He pulled her into a hug and whispered. "I'm sorry Lian... I am so so sorry."

"It's alright baba. I will do what is needed. Please forgive me father. I know I didn't grow up to be the daughter you wanted-"

Shang pulled Lian's head from his shoulder so she was facing him. "Lian your mother was just like you. I have never been prouder. I swear I will get you out of this."

"No baba. Just get out of here.I came tobring you back home.If die thenI die with honor. I love you baba." Lian kissed his cheek and walked to he executioner. Lian kneeled down and was ready to die, until she heard a shout in the distance.

"No." she whispered. "It can't be."

It was Shen; he shot an arrow at Lian's executer and wounded him. He was running down the side of the hill with sward in hand.

"BABA DO SOMETHING!" Lian yelled before everything went black.


	9. Chapter 9

Slowly Lian woke up. She didn't know what had happened. She looked over and saw someone holding her hand and her head lay on the bed. Lian removed her hand immediately she didn't

know who she was or where she was. As soon as Lian removed her hand the woman woke up.

"Lian!"

Lian gave her a strange look.

"Lian, its me your mother."

Lian got very scared she didn't know what was happening. She didn't know this woman.

"Lian calm down." Mulan turned her head and yelled for Chen to come quick

Chen came running in. He saw that Lian was awake, confused, and scared.

"Lian, look at me." Lian curled up into a ball and looked into his eyes. "Shh. It's ok Lian your home now."

She started to calm down. "Chen?"

"Yes Lian, I'm here."

"Do you know what happened?" Lian shook her head. Chen told her everything that he had heard, but wasn't able to tell her the outcome.

"Where is Baba?"

Chen and Mulan looked at each other and changed the subject.

"Lian you must get out of bed and get ready the matchmaker has been waiting for a long time to tell you who you are to marry." Mulan told her. Lian forgot about what she asked.

She got up with some help of Mulan and Chen and looked in the mirror her face it was all bruised. Mulan quickly kicked Chen out of the room so she could help Lian get ready. She put some makeup on so you wouldn't be able to see most of the bruising but you could still see them. Then Lian put on a lovely dress. Mulan had to stay behind and clean up Lian's room so it didn't look so bad. And Chen helped Lian walk to the matchmakers. When they arrived the matchmaker met them outside and swatted Chen away helping Lian into the house.

"Oh my poor dear."

"Its not bad. It just looks worse. My mother told me that you set me up with someone."

The matchmakers face dropped. "Well yes I did. But seeing the condition he is in I will have to find another man."

"Who was he?"

"I shouldn't say."

"Please. I want to know who I am to marry."

"Lian. You were to marry De Shen."

At that name Lian looked up in surprise.

"The future Emperor?"

"Yes."

"But why me?"

"Because Lian your family knows him. Both of your parents are heroes. And he is just like you. But seeing what happened to him, he is not able to be your husband-"

"No, you made a match he is still living so there is no reason I should go against it. What ever state my future husband is in I need to be by his side. Now excuse me matchmaker."

Lian started to walk out but fell the matchmaker went to help her but she refused it. She got up and walked out. Out past her brother to where her horse was and got on it and started off towards the palace.

An hour later she arrived.

"I'm sorry miss but there are no visitors."

"I must get in. I am Li Lian. I am to marry De Shen."

"Yeah, Yeah, Yeah that's what they all say 'oh yeah De Shen is my husband.' Or 'yeah I come from a famous family' blah blah blah… I heard all of it lady."

"Then go tell the Emperor that I am here and I wish to speak to him. He knows who I am."

"-"

"What is all the commotion out here?" Ho Fai came out one of the generals. "Lian what are you doing here? I thought you were still at home- your up that is great news!" he came to embrace her.

"I came to see De Shen."

"I'm sorry but he isn't to good."

"Please I must see him."

"…. I guess."

Lian ran in and found his room… it wasn't that hard, you just went to the door where there were a crowed of people crying. Lian slowly walked into the room. She spotted Shen laying in bed pale. The emperor saw her and motioned everyone to get out.

"Lian-"

She didn't hear him; she just walked quietly over to Shen's bed and sat down besides him. She removed a strand of hair out of his face. She looked up letting a tear fall from her eye,

"What happened?"

"I was hoping you could tell us."

"I don't remember anything all I remember is my father- my father I haven't seen him at all today. Do you know where he might be? Since the only places he would be are home, war and/or here."

"Lian. No one knows what happened. All we know is that his troops came back telling me that when they were captured a couple of days later he turned on us. He became a Hun. He is a traitor."

"Where is he?"

"In the dungeons."

Not another word was spoken; Lian looked down at Shen kissed him on the cheek and ran out of the room to the dungeons.

"Baba?" there was no answer. "General Li?" she walked from cell to cell trying to find him. "Baba?" still no answer. "General Li Shang?" she was about to call another time when she heard…

"I am not called that anymore. I have betrayed my country."

"Guards unlock this cell please." They did and Lian walked inside and knelt down besides him.

"Baba?"

"Lian- what are you doing here?"

"I came first to see Shen then I heard you were in here. What happened? I don't remember anything. I only remember a little each day."

"Well the only thing I remember is when you where about to be executed Shen started to run down the hill, he wounded the executioner and the executioner knocked you out. I dragged you out of there so you wouldn't be trampled. But by the time I got out of there I saw Shen fighting about 3 men and then I saw him stabbed I went to go help him but another Hun was shooting arrows I found him and killed him. Luckily most of the Huns had hangovers so they just stayed in bed. But I killed as many as possible, but by the time I got to Shen it didn't look very good for me Imperials came looking for him and saw that I had a sward in hand and Shen was on the ground. They arrested me, and here I am."

"I will go talk to the emperor-"

"No! I have failed the future Emperor. He is pretty much dead because of me."

"No it isn't your fault. If I would have left when he came to get me he would still be fine."

Lian got up and left the cell.

"Your majesty. My father is innocent-"

"And how may you prove that? My brother is on the verge of death; I have your father's soldiers telling me he is a traitor, he-" every sentence he started to raise his voice until it was almost in a scram.

"Sir I was there-"

"But you were knocked unconscious-"

"But I was conscious all the time before."

"So what?"

"I spent time with my father as his prisoner. He was my guard. I got to know him as a Hun. He was not the same man sir. The Huns did something to him. They couldn't kill him because he was of importance to them, I didn't know yet sir but know I do. They were going to use him to get to you."

"Oh and what did they do to him. Give him money, food, women-"

"No… Sir! They hypnotized him. They thought it was the perfect plan, until I came. They knew that another troop was coming and since they didn't have another General of great skill they knew that the future emperor, your brother was going to be leading us. They knew who he was and his great skill. Their only problem was me. I wouldn't allow Shen to go seeing that he was the future emperor, so instead I went. They captured me and held me captive. They were trying to get Shen because I was no use to them. I refused to tell them where the troops were. They found out who I was and they thought maybe I would talk to my father so they sent him to guard me. The thing was my father knew some things that the Huns didn't take away from him. They made him forget that he had a family, but they didn't make him forget things he did with his family, things he gave his family. Day after day I got further and further until he cracked. He remembered who he was and everything, except he didn't know what had happened. That is all I remember."

"Such a touching story. But I don't give a shit all I know is that my brother is dying and your father is going to pay."

"For something he didn't do? You are charging him for a crime he didn't commit."

"How dare you talk to me like that you peasant girl!" he went to smack her, but before he had the chance to she said,

"You dare smack your brother's wife? The woman he loves. The woman he almost died trying to save. If he saw you right now what would he say? I'll tell you. Nothing. He wouldn't speak to you for what you have done. Smacking someone who is not your wife or your child or anything of yours. You discuss me. Why don't you find the man that did this to your brother, not a man that was trying to save him."

Lian walked into Shen's room and sat down besides him. She took his hand and held it running her fingers through his hair.

On the day of her father's execution she came down to watch.


	10. Chapter 10

When Shang was brought out Lian got up on the stage (where the rope is to be hung… you know what I am talking about) the crowd saw her and it all drew quite.

"My father has been accused of a crime he didn't commit. The Emperor, my future brother in-law is trying to put the blame on my father just so _he_ can find comfort in his brother's condition. He has yet been trying to find the person who actually did this. He is just putting the blame on someone. My father General Li Shang was hypnotized by the Hun leader- how do I know this? I was one of the prisoners the Huns took. When they found out I was General Li Shang's daughter Di Ren the Hun leader sent him to guard me."

The emperor came to try to shut her up but Lian would not let him.

"Your emperor doesn't want you to know this because he wants to kill someone that he has been hearing things about from the troops that have been staying in another tent. General Li Shang hasn't been in that tent! He was always at my tent, talking to me! So none of them can actually tell you what they know because they know shit! My brother in-law thinks he knows everything that happened but he doesn't. Yes there is to a certain extent I know of what happened because I was knocked out. But before I was I was going to my death and the last thing my father and I had was for him saying was his sorry. I was able to break the trance he was put in, but sadly it was a little too late for him to do something, I told him that my death was not on his hands. I was ready to die, until I saw De Shen running down the hill to save me. I told my father to do something and help Shen, and sadly that is all I can remember." Lian turned from the crowd and turned towards the emperor, "You want the man that did this to Shen? Let him pay for what he has done, because if you kill my father then the blood of him AND the blood of Shen are on your hands."

**(ok you know what I don't want to keep calling the emperor… the emperor so I am giving him a name that I will be using for now on his name is going to be… ummmm….Kong)**

Kong knew he wouldn't win this battle from the flame she had in her eyes.

"And how would we know who did this to my brother? We only have his word." Pointing to Shang.

"And his word is all that we need. He is not someone to lie not even to save his own butt. He is a good man. And the truth is all that he tells. He is not dishonest I tell you that. But you need to trust someone you do not. Because in the end you will be looking like a fool, for he will be whom everyone likes, appreciate, and is loyal to while you are sitting in the dust wondering what you've done wrong."

Kong walks up to Lian, "You are lucky you are to marry my brother. If not I would have your head for talking to me like this."

"Why because you are a man? Or you are the Emperor? Well get use to it… because you'll be hearing a lot for me." Lian turns around and walks towards her father and she kneels down in front of him.

"Forgive me father-"

"For what Lian? You've saved my life twice so far."

"Father go home mama and Chen are worried sick about you. I am going to stay here. Shen needs me."

"I understand. And you forgot this at the Hun camp…" he takes off the necklace and puts it around Lian's neck. "Thank you for showing me the way back." He hugs her and they both leave to go to their destination.

Lian returned to Shen's room where she saw Kong sitting next to Shen. When Kong saw Lian walk in he got up and walked over to her.

"What do you want? Why don't you just go with your father to find the man that did this to my brother."

"Because I have no need my father killed the 3 men that were fighting against Shen and my father killed the archer so he could get to Shen. And I am here to be with Shen."

"Have you done enough already Lian?"

"On the contrary Kong. I have yet to do something."

"You almost got my brother killed! What do you mean you have yet to do something!"

Lian looked at him in discuss, "excuse me SIR, but I wish to be by the side of my husband through good times and bad. He needs me now and he doesn't need you. There had been lots told about you. And I don't wish to deal with any more of you right now." She walked past him and took her spot on Shen's bed.

Kong was enraged at how Lian talked to him. So he left to let off some steam.

Lian walked over and closed the doors. She came back and sat by Shen. She wondered how she could let this happen.

There is strength deep inside me that I never knew I had  
There's a fire within burnin' bright  
There is a love inside of me that I never thought I'd feel  
Until the day you came into my life, yeah

And it was you that were there when no one else was  
And you show me a love unknown, ooh

You kept the fire burnin'  
You kept hope alive  
And when my soul was fallin'  
You helped me to survive  
And you led the way  
Encouraged me to take that leap of faith

There's a dream that I dream, I never knew it would come true  
There's a place I never thought that I would be (Ooh)  
There is a chance (There's a chance) that I took  
(That I took) that I never thought I'd take  
Until you came and helped me to believe, oh...oh...

You were there when no one else was  
And you showed me a love unknown

You kept the fire burnin'  
And you kept hope alive  
And when my soul was fallin'  
You helped me to survive  
And you led the way  
Encouraged me to take that leap of faith (Of faith, of  
faith, of faith, of faith, ooh)

Leap of faith  
Oh, yeah  
Oh...oh...oh...oh...

You showed me just how  
How to believe in me In me, oh...  
You moved that tree and tore that forest there for me

You kept the fire burnin' (You kept it burnin')  
You kept hope alive (You kept hope alive)  
And when my soul was fallin' (My soul was fallin')  
You helped me to survive (Yeah, you helped me to survive)  
You led the way  
Encouraged me to take that leap of faith, yeah

You kept the fire burnin' (Woo)  
You kept hope alive (You kept the hope alive, yeah)  
And when my soul was fallin' (My soul was fallin')  
You helped me to survive (But you helped me to  
survive)  
You led the way  
Encouraging me to take

The fire Everybody, hope All my life  
My soul Someone's callin' with you I'll survive  
You led Go away, encouraged me To take  
That leap of faith and make it over  
Now I owe my thanks to you, ho...oh...

You kept the fire burnin' (Woo, hey)  
You kept hope alive (You kept hope alive)  
When my soul was fallin' (When my soul was fallin')  
You helped me to survive (Ooh...you helped me to survive)  
Oh...yes, you did  
Pushing me to take that leap of faith

You kept the fire burnin'  
You kept hope alive  
And when my soul was fallin'  
You helped me to survive  
Oh...oh...oh...oh...

She rested her hand on his chest. She didn't think she was putting a lot of weight on him until she heard a grunt. She moved her hand up to his shoulder and heard painful kind of groan. She unbuttoned his shirt to find bandages on his shoulder and five others on his chest. Lian's hand quickly moved up to her mouth and a tear dropped from her eye. She traced one of the bandages with her finger, she was in a trance wondering why this had to happen to him why not her when she heard the door open.

"What are you doing miss?"

"Oh I'm sorry doctor, I am Lian. Shen's future wife, I came here to be by him and I noticed he was in a lot of pain and now I understand why."

"Oh I'm sorry. Yes he is in a great deal of pain."

"If you don't mind me asking, but why doesn't he wake up?"

"That is a question I can't answer. I don't know. He doesn't have a closed head injury or else you would be able to see something on the back of the head. I am thinking he is in such pain that he thinks it is worse when he wakes up. Or… I don't know."

"Will he live?"

The doctor looks at Lian with a sad face, "That I am not sure. He is fighting a battle with himself. He doesn't know if he would be happier dead or alive. Apart of him wants him to be dead, but the other wants to live. It is up to him to decide."

Tears started to run down Lian's face.

"Oh my dear, don't cry. Your tears won't help him. He needs you to show him the way."

**Ok I am at a writer's block any ideas maybe that will kinda help me out…. But I am not saying I will put them in.**


	11. Chapter 11

It had been 2 days now, and Lian hadn't left Shen's side.

"Lian?" The Empress came in.

"Oh hello your majesty."

"Please… please… we are famil-"She caught what she was going to say, "I mean please no titles please call me Ming Su."

"Alright." Lian's face was sad and she turned back to Shen. Ming Su walked up to her and put her hand on her shoulder to try to comfort her. Lian was trying to hold her tears back but one dropped, and then she just couldn't hold back her tears she turned around and embraced Ming Su and started to cry.

"It's alright my child… its alright."

"I should have saved him. This shouldn't be him laying here. I-I wish I could have done something."

"Sweetheart there was nothing you could do, and sadly there is nothing you can do now… you cant beat yourself up for this. So please go downstairs and get some food. You haven't ate or done anything except sit by Shen's side."

"I- I cant."

"Lian I will watch him, and if something happens I'll come and get you. You have been in this room for over two days. Go outside, get some food, bath."

"If you insist."

Lian walked into the bathroom and took a nice long bath, then went downstairs to get some food. Kong came over.

"So you are finally out of that room I see."

"I don't feel like fighting with you Kong, so please just leave me alone." Lian spoke very softly. Kong sighed and sat down next to her

"Why did I have to try to be the hero? Why couldn't I be like other girls and just stay home?"

"Because that is not who YOU are Lian. Yeah you could have just stayed at home, but your father might have ended up dead not to mention your brother."

Lian looked up at Kong. "Thank you, but please excuse me. I think I need to be alone for a little bit."

Lian excused herself from the table, and walked outside. The memories at camp came back, but as Chen and Shen. They talked about everything like they have known each other forever. They talked about their family, the Academy, ect. Everything! But one thing in particular, Shen had told her (Chen) that he was the heir to the throne before his father died, but Shen stepped down and gave the throne to his brother. Shen didn't want to be emperor yet; there was much he wanted to do. He wanted to go to the Academy, marry and have a family before he took the throne. Lian remembered Shen tell her that he was waiting the decision the matchmaker made for him (stick with me people will ya!) and he was unsure if he would like his wife. He didn't want one that would be like a little child, being told what to do, never talking, being a big baby! But he knew that that was hard to find, especially when the matchmaker was picking out the women. She was to be… perfect. The perfect woman to be exact she was to be shorter then him, less educated, poised, beautiful, blah, blah, blah. He didn't care about the height of the girl, he wanted a girl who WAS educated, yes it would be nice to have a wife who is poised and beautiful, but also who was herself, and herself only not what she was "ordered/trained" to do/act.

Lian went back inside from the garden and back to where Shen was. She sat besides him. And this time he opened his eyes

"Lian…" he said weakly.

"Shen!"

"What are you doing here?"

"I am engaged to you!"

"I am happy that you were not harmed" Shen brought his hand up to her face.

"I am sorry I wish I could have done something."

"But you did. You stood by my side for-" Shen started to cough.

"Shen!"

"I- I am sorry Lian. I love you" Lian moved her head to kiss Shen and then said, "I love you Shen, but stay with me!" but it was too late. Shen had already left… his last words were I love you. Lian closed her eyes trying to hold in the tears. Her one true love had died because of her stupidity. Lian dropped to her knees and dropped her head on Shen's chest and started to cry, not letting any tear stay in her eyes.


	12. Chapter 12

The passing of Shen devastated Lian; she didn't come out of his room for quite some time. She just lay there trying to remember Shen. There was a knock at the door.

"Go away!" Lian yelled, but the knocker just barged in. when Lian saw who it was she just buried her face in Shen's pillow and said, "I told you to go away, Kong. Don't you see I'm not in the mood?" but Kong just kept walking until he was sitting on Shen's bed besides Lian.

"Lian you haven't come out of Shen's room since his passing."

"So what? Why do you care anyways?"

"Shen wouldn't have liked to see you like this-"

"What do you know about Shen! You know nothing about what he was like or what he would like!"

"You forget that I was his brother!"

"Then I guess you know that when your in a bad mood just leave it to Shen to do or say something funny just to get a smile out of you, or when he talks to someone and listens his eyes always stay connected with the person he is talking with whether it be man or woman, or maybe you know this… when he fights he fights like there is no return, when a soldier is down he wont leave them behind, and-and" she started to get very quiet, "I killed him."

"No you didn't Lian. It wasn't your fault. You couldn't have done anything to save him he chose his own path. The only thing you did was keep him alive longer. If you had let him go and scout the place like he wanted to do, he would have been killed on the spot, you opened his eyes to the one person that would keep him going, fight to save them. When he returned to the palace for a brief moment he looked happier. I knew something had happened, but when I was about to ask him what, he was gone."

Lian was sitting up by now listening to the stories Kong told about Shen, Lian was trying to hold her tears in, but she failed. Kong pulled her into an embrace, trying to show her that he has changed; that he was sorry for the way her treated her earlier, and that he was there for her.

After a little while Kong said, "Lian?" Lian looked up into his eyes

"What?"

"Shen's funeral is later on tonight. You don't have to go if you don't want-"

"He was my husband to be, there shouldn't be a reason why I can't go."

"Very well I'll come to get you when the time draws near."

"No that's quite all right. If you don't mind, where is Shen now? I would like to say goodbye to him."

"He is in the throne room."

"The throne room?"

"Yes Lian the throne room."

"But why that room?"

"Because Lian, there were so many people that respected him to go his own way, he was the first person to decline the throne right then. You might now have known this, but everyone looked up to him, he was very respected by the people of this country, not because of his blood, but by his personality and all that."

"I understand."

Kong and Lian were talking for some time now until Kong had to go. Lian got dressed and walked down to the throne room. No one was in there now, because Shen was going to be buried in a little bit, and the relatives wanted to have a chance to say goodbye. Lian walked slowly to where the coffin was. Shen looked so peaceful like he was sleeping. Lian touched his face. She closed her eyes tight trying so hard not to cry, but that didn't help. She fell her knees and cried out to the ancestors, "Why him? WHY NOT ME!" She got up and touched his face for the last time.

"Shen I love you-" she whispered and then fell to the ground.

**Well how do you like it so far? Sorry it was so short I'll try to make the next chapter longer… well if you review I will update!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Ok sorry I haven't been updating for a long time, but I had tons of homework and tests and all of that shit! Well we left off with Shen dying and Lian falling to the ground unconscious.**

Everything was spinning in Lian's head. She didn't know what was happening, but then she saw Shen. It had been a long time since she saw him. She started to run towards him tears streaming down her face. He stood there waiting for her with open arms, but when Lian ran into his arms he disappeared. She turned around and saw Shang standing there with open arms smiling at her. When she ran towards him, he too disappeared. Everything was spinning she didn't know what to do. What had happened? She didn't know what was going on. Were the ancestors playing mind tricks on her or is this just her going crazy? She didn't know what was going on. She looked down at her hands and they started to fade. She screamed, "WHY ANSESTORS WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME!" she fell to her knees and whispered, "why ancestors? Why are you doing this to me? What have I done wrong to disappointed you?"

She drifted into consciences and opened her eyes to her family. "Mama…? Baba…? Chen…? What…what happened? Where am I?"

They exchanged glances and finally Shang spoke up, "Your home. Where else would you be? You just hit your head hard and was unconscious for a couple of days."

"When did I get back home? Are you mad at me Chen?"

"Why would I be mad at you, Lian?" playing along with his father

"Because I took your spot?"

Chen's head jolted up…she remembered there was nothing else they could do but tell her the truth.

"No Lian I'm not mad at you, you just wanted to save Baba."

"I…I remember the prince, Shen."

"I think we should let her rest." Mulan butted in. everyone agreed and walked out of the room. Lian was in there trying to remember everything that had happened.

She knew she had to find out.

**OK Sorry that chapter was very short… but I kind of hit a wall, and I have to work on my studies. Give me some suggestions, and maybe that will give me some sort of ideas. later **


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